Pete's Holiday - France Edition
by SuspiciousMeerkat
Summary: Join Pete on his holiday adventure as he learns about historic France and French culture!


In loving memory of Dana Elcar.

Sunshine shone through the sides of Pete's apartment window. Pete woke up and squinted as the sun's warm rays hit his face. He sat up and reached his arms out in a big stretch.

Pete got out of bed and opened the blinds on his bedroom window. He saw the beautiful view he'd woken up to for the past few days - a beautiful rose garden full of native birds and butterflies with the Eiffel tower just in view in the distance - and smiled.

"Boy, I sure do love France!" said Pete.

After finishing his breakfast, a chocolate croissant with crème, Pete leaped out the door and got on his bicycle.

Pete rode happily through the streets of Paris, enjoying the beautiful scenery of people in raspberry berets and nice architecture. He saw a banner on the side of the road and pulled over. It read: "Louvre Museum – free baguette stall today". Baguettes – Pete loved them!

Pete decided he wanted to go to the Louvre. But he didn't know how to get there.

Pete saw a man walking past.

"Excusez-moi monsieur, où est le Louvre?" Pete asked.

"Ah, it's located in the first arrondissement. Don't worry, I speak English too," said the French man with a smile.

"Thank you very much!" replied Pete.

But Pete did not know how to get to the first arrondissement. And he couldn't ask the same man for directions, as he had already passed him. Pete continued riding his bike down that street in hope of finding a clue on how to get to the first arrondissement. Usually Pete was really good at finding clues, but this time he couldn't find any.

Across from an intersection, there was a sign that said "Panthéon – 500m". Pete had heard of the Panthéon before, but he didn't know what it was. He decided to check it out, in case he would find a clue there of how to get to the first arrondissement.

After five-hundred metres of riding, Pete eventually arrived at this large, pale building with a small steeple on the top.

A middle-aged woman walked up to him.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" she said.

"Yes, it sure looks nice," replied Pete. "But what is it for?"

The woman turned to him. "It's an old burial place," she said. "Go inside, there is a tour going on at the moment with free food and everything,"

Pete went inside and attended the tour. He was amazed by the beautiful architecture, and the whole tour really interested him. And he loved the cake stall at the end of the tour.

After the tour, Pete rode his bicycle into a nice park. He realised that he was still hungry. The cakes from the Panthéon didn't fill him up, and wanted to have lunch.

But then he remembered about the free baguettes at the Louvre Museum in the first arrondissement, and how he was unable to find it. Pete parked his bicycle at a tree and walked around the park quite sadly.

Just as he was about to give up hope, he came to a body of water, which turned out to be a large river. About twenty metres to his right was a large sign-like structure. A tourist information board, perhaps? Pete walked up to it and realised that it was full of tourist information!

In big letters at the top, the sign read "You are in the 5th arrondissement". Below the text, there was a large map of Paris distinguishing the different arrondissements. The first arrondissement was next to the fourth arrondissement, which was on the opposite side of the river directly opposite Pete.

"Louvre, here I come!" said Pete.

Pete got back on his bicycle and headed off, now knowing where he was going. He rode through the beautiful streets of the fifth arrondissement until he reached a bridge. He crossed the bridge onto the right bank of the Seine river and into the fourth arrondissement. As he rode through it, Pete passed the Notre-Dame, a famous Catholic cathedral. Eventually Pete was out of the fourth arrondissement and had finally made it to the first arrondissement, the home of the Louvre.

In front of Pete was a huge pyramid structure with a long building behind of it. Pete had finally arrived at the Louvre Museum! And next to him was a sign saying "Free baguettes up ahead! Today only!".

Pete put his bicycle in a bike stand nearby and went over to the Louvre. There was a food van with a big baguette picture on it.

The man inside of it greeted Pete. "Welcome to the baguette stand! What would you like?" asked the man.

Pete read the menu on the side of the van. One item stood out to him in particular. It was a baguette sandwich with tender grilled chicken and salad including red and green capsicum, red onion, succulent mixed lettuce, tomato and finely grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese. It was called "Le Poulet Spécial".

"Can I please have Le Poulet Spécial?" Pete asked the man.

"Sure thing," said the vendor. He got Pete out the freshly-made chicken baguette. "It's free, of course. Enjoy!"

Pete ate his free baguette. It tasted great! It tasted like pure France.

"Je t'aime France!" said Pete happily.


End file.
